Sproutes
by TBrennanFan
Summary: Emma has struggled as she adjusted to the many changes in her life: returning to Fairy Tale land for the first time since she was born, having a 10-year old son in her life full-time, and being in the first committed relationship of her life. But this change, she had to admit, was the most unexpected. Post-S1, FLT, Swan Queen.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: Pre-established Swan Queen. Post season one finale, the curse was broken, but all characters were returned to FTL.

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 1:

Staring into a mirror can sometimes be a terrifying thing. Viewing your reflection makes you face all sorts of things you wish you could simply ignore. Wether it be that new pimple that's emerged in the middle of your face, the few extra pounds we put on over the holiday season, or the first grey hair growing from atop of your head. Mirrors can show us as we age and evolve, as our features change from those of an infant, into the features that will characterize our faces for the rest of our lives. But it was not any of these things that Emma Swan was concerned about when she stood in front of the full length mirror in her bathroom early this morning.

Emma sighed as stared into the mirror, and acceptance slowly sank in. She could feel a dull sensation of sinking in the pit of her stomach as she slowly and reluctantly redressed. With her trousers buttoned, and a loose cotton shirt thrown over her head, she emerged from the bathroom, and tossed herself onto her bed, hiding her head momentarily in the pillows. She had quite a large and well decorated room. A handsome wooden dresser sat to one side of the room, with various personal artifacts littering the top; a framed photo of the inhabitants of the home, a silver jewelry box, a recent news paper with the headline, "Dwarf Mine Break In!", and a soft, white, knitted baby blanket embroidered with purple ribbon. On the other side was a window, which was currently wide open to let the morning breeze fill the room. It offered a view of the vast rolling hills and forrest that surrounded the house. The large chestnut bed sat in the middle of the room. The side opposite of where Emma was sprawled was empty. This didn't surprise Emma in the slightest; her lover was usually up at the crack of dawn, no matter if there was nothing planned for the day at all. After laying and contemplating her options for a few minutes, Emma decided she best stop moping, and thus headed downstairs.

As she made her way down to the staircase and towards the kitchen, the smell of fresh bread filled her nose and made her stomach rumble hungrily. But she was stopped midway by a small boy, who crash landed into her, while he most certainly shouldn't have been running inside of the house.

"Woah kid, careful", said Emma automatically, although it was more of a reflex now. She had grown accustom over the past several months to living in the same house as Henry. To say he was full of energy was the understatement of the year. With an entire new world to explore, he was always running here and there, in and out of the house, and Emma never really had the heart to discipline him more than a simple warning every time she was almost knocked of her feet while he paid little attention to where he was going.

"Yes! You're fiiiiinally awake. Now you can bring me to the lake, like you promised", Henry spurted out almost instantaneously.

"Uhh, hold on there kiddo, I need some food and caffeine first," replied Emma.

Emma wasn't even sure if Henry heard her, but she thought she could hear a faint 'Okay!' from him as he ran back outside. She did notice however, the mud tracks that he left behind from his muddy boots, that trailed all the way to the door.

"Great", she muttered to herself, and made a mental note to clean it before it had the chance to harden and permanently stain the floor.

Emma turned and walked the few steps remaining into the kitchen. A beautiful raven-haired woman was facing away from her, cutting a loaf of fresh bread. She was tall and slender, with wavy hair that reached halfway down her back. She was wearing a simple pale blue dress- something that Emma once would have been shocked to see her even touch, let alone wear. But things were different now. Everything was different now. Her world had quite literally vanished in front of her very eyes just over a year ago, and it still managed to take Emma by surprise every morning.

Emma sat herself at the small table in the kitchen, where a cup of steaming coffee was waiting for her. She raised it her lips, and could almost taste the liquid caffeine, before she stopped herself, feeling highly annoyed.

"Could you pass me a glass of orange juice?" Emma asked, almost begrudgingly.

"Since when do you drink juice?" asked the puzzled women, while giving Emma a curious look.

"I just, feel like a change" replied Emma.

Her face showed she didn't believe Emma, but none the less, she poured Emma a glass of juice, and didn't push the matter any further, there was obviously something else on the woman's mind.

"I was thinking I'd come down to the lake with you and Henry today, it's been far too long since he's been off the house property with the two of us" chimed the woman.

"Mmm", replied Emma absentmindedly.

"Really? That was quite easy, usually it takes a good half hour debate until you agree, glad to see you're coming to your senses," she chuckled.

"Mmm, yeah."

The woman turned around and glanced at Emma over her shoulder, "Are you even listening to me?" she asked. "Emma?"

"What? Oh, yeah, sorry, I guess I was daydreaming" Emma said, although still not passing most of her attention to the woman standing across the room.

"What's going on? You've been acting weird lately."

"It's nothing, I don't really feel up to talking right now. I have to get ready, Henry's waiting." Emma said, and stood up from her seat at the table.

"No no, you'll tell me now," she said in a stern voice, "What's wrong?"

Emma looked up at the woman, who had now turned around the face her. Her arms were crossed over her chest, as she waited for some sort of response. Emma took a deep breath before she replied. It had to come out sooner or later.

"Regina, I'm pregnant."

**Author's Note**: Reviews make my heart swell, and my fingers type faster. So review, review, review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 2:

"Regina, I'm pregnant."

Although the silence that came after this short statement was only a few seconds, it seemed to Emma that it was an eternity.

Regina stood there with a blank stare on her face, clearly speechless.

"Excuse me?", she said, in a voice that was begging to be told that she had somehow misheard Emma's last words.

"I'm pregnant," Emma repeated.

"I- Wh- How? How do you know?"

"It's been three months since my last period. And I've been getting sick in the mornings, I thought it was just a stomach bug or the flu for a while, I mentioned it to you, but then this morning I noticed...", Emma's voice trailed off, as her hands gently rested on her stomach.

For the first time, Regina noticed the very tiny bump in Emma's lower abdomen. It was so small that few would notice it without careful observation, but there was no denying, it was there.

Regina turned back around, and slowly continued where she'd left off with the bread, kneading a new loaf that was yet to be cooked. Emma could see Regina's hands press the dough far more firmly than it needed to be. Her arms were far too tense, and Emma could see her chest rise and fall much more quickly than normal, as if she was trying to hide silent sobs.

"Who's is it?", she tried to say in an emotionless tone, but failed as her voice cracked on the last syllable.

"I don't know."

Regina laughed cruelly and slammed the dough onto the kitchen counter. She turned back around to face Emma. Her cheeks flared red, and a few tears trailed the silhouette of her face, but her eyes revealed the most- she was furious.

"Oh please, spare me the humility. You couldn't keep it in your pants; at least have the fucking decency to tell me who the father is of the child that you're carrying around my home.", Regina said forcefully, "I should have known, how could I be such a fool. You had one baby recklessly and tossed him away, why not go ahead and do it again!"

"Reg-", Emma started.

"No. No. I don't want to hear your excuses, I-"

"REGINA", Emma shouted.

Regina stopped dead and stared at Emma. Their eyes met for a moment, and Emma could see how hurt Regina was, even if she was trying to hide it behind her tough and angry exterior.

"I don't know who the father is because I haven't slept with any man, not since leaving my world.", Emma said with as much conviction as she could muster.

"Really? That's what you're going with- a virgin birth? I didn't take you for such a religious woman," Regina said satirically.

"I'm serious Regina, I'm not lying to you. I haven't been with anyone. I don't know how it is possible, but this is real. I haven't been unfaithful," Emma pleaded, she was desperate for Regina to believe her.

Regina stood leaning against the kitchen counter, her hands running through her hair in frustration. Emma could all but hear the spinning gears in Regina's head, contemplating what to believe.

"Regina, I swear to you. I swear on my life, and the life of this baby, I have not been with any man," Emma said softly, taking a few steps towards Regina, hoping that Regina would let down her walls and take her words of reassurance into consideration.

Regina looked directly at Emma and started, "I think that we should-"

"MOMMMM"

Regina was interrupted by Henry's shouting as he bolted back into the house, hair tousled and out of breath.

The speed that Regina was able to change her expression as Henry entered into the kitchen was phenomenal, something that Emma hadn't yet mastered however.

"What's wrong?", Henry said, catching on to Emma's upset expression and looking back and forth between his two mothers.

"Nothing's wrong sweetie," Regina stepped in quickly, as she smiled widely down at Henry. "I was just telling Emma that I was thinking of coming to the lake with the two of you, and she agrees that it's a fantastic idea,"

"Really?", Henry said in amazement.

"You bet kiddo", Emma chimed in, managing to bring her expression back to the happy smiling mother Henry had gotten used to over the past year.

"Well what are you waiting for, let's go!", Henry yelled, as he ran back out of the house and into the shed to get his fishing pole.

"Regina-", Emma started as soon as they were in private again.

"Come on dear, best not let Henry wait," Regina said in a sweet tone, as she walked by Emma, and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, "And you may want to change into some more appropriate footwear," she said over her shoulder as she left the kitchen and walked into the garden.

Emma was left standing there for a moment, not sure how to process what had just happened. She returned up to their bedroom to fetch her riding boots after a minute of deliberating, figuring she may make the best of this day at the lake- it may well have been the last one that the three of them spent together as a family, before this unexplained baby tore them all apart.

**Author's Note**: Reviews make my heart swell, and my fingers type faster. So review, review, review! I sat down yesterday and wrote a 3-page outline of how I want this story to go, so I think I have a pretty good idea where it's going. My estimate right now is approximately 20 chapters, if all goes well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 3:

Once dressed, Emma made her way into the garden to meet up with Regina and Henry. It was quite a beautiful little cottage that they lived in. It was made completely of wood, except for a small red brick chimney. Regina planted flowers all along the front of the house, that were currently blooming, showing off their array of colours. The garden was vast and green, and on the other side of it was a small stable that housed a few horses, chickens, and sheep. A stone pathway connected the front of the cottage to the stable and to the main road a couple of kilometers down. But Emma's favourite part of her new home was the small birdhouse perched right outside of the windowsill of the cottage, underneath of which was a small sign with the word 'Sproutes' enscripted on it.

As Emma walked further into the garden, she could see that Regina had saddled up two of the horses, one of which Henry was sitting a top of. Regina was standing next to the other horse attaching a light bag to the saddle with food and water for them for the day. Henry was currently amusing himself by holding his fishing rod and pretending that he was a knight and it was his sword, and that the horse he was a top of was not simply a horse but a royal steed.

As Emma approached them, Henry turned around and gave her a wide smile.

"Come on, we're almost ready," said Henry.

Regina finished tying up all of the supplies and silently handed her a long dark cloak with a wide hood on it, before putting on a similar cloak herself. She understood that Regina needed to wear one, although she personally didn't think that she needed to, not the Regina would listen to her on the matter. Emma looked quite different than she did a year ago, her hair was much shorter, hardly long enough to run her fingers through. Her skin had tanned considerably, and she thought that she had quite a bit more of a 'wild' look to her. She doubted that many people would recognize her as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.

Regina proceeded to gracefully get on the horse in front of Henry and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, knowing that in a few minutes they would be going faster than he could even imagine. On the few occasions that the three of them went out together, Henry always road with Regina because she was the much better equestrian. Emma was still getting used to the fact that there was no cars in the Enchanted Forest and was forced to learn to ride for the first time in her life. Henry had no patience for Emma as she tried to get the horse to do as it was told. Regina on the other hand could sprint ahead of them and get miles ahead and a loop back around before Emma had even made it out of the cottage garden.

Emma managed to get on top of her horse after struggling for a moment and had barely positioned herself on the saddle when Regina took off down the stone road. She could faintly hear Henry yell 'Catch us if you can' but she knew that she had no chance in hell of catching up with them. Within a few minutes though Emma made it to the end of the pathway leading up to Sproutes, onto the main road, and into the large meadow that they had to cross in order to get the lake. From there you could see the far-off rolling hills and thick trees that encompassed the Enchanted Forest- picture perfect, just like the drawings in Henry's old story book. Further ahead, almost halfway through the meadow now, she could see Regina and Henry speeding through the grass. She had to admit, Regina was incredibly beautiful when she rode. Even from a distance Emma could see a huge smile on Regina's face, the type of smile she only got when she was riding through the countryside, free from hiding from the rest of the world.

Emma did her best to speed her horse up and try to catch Regina and Henry, but they were already so far ahead that there was almost no point in trying. So Emma opted to enjoy the beautiful scenery as she galloped through the meadow. Within about 20 minutes, Emma made her way to the edge of the grass and had to slow down as she had to go through a patch of thick trees. As the trees began to clear, Emma got her first view of the beautiful lake that Henry so often liked to visit. Henry and Regina were both already off their horse; Henry was standing down by the lake holding his fishing rod, with high hopes that he would catch big one.

"What took you so long, huh?", Regina said with a mischievous grin, as she came untie the supplies from the back of Emma's horse.

Emma muttered something almost indiscernible under her breath, but Regina could've sworn she heard the words 'bloody horses'.

The rest of the day passed quite quickly and uneventfully. Regina had taken the supplies and set up a picnic with sandwiches, lemonade and all sorts of fruit from their garden. Henry spent most of the day trotting through the water with his fishing rod, and actually did manage to catch two fish, which he was incredibly proud of. Regina liked to wonder the shoreline looking for various washed up items and seashells. Later in the afternoon, Henry even managed to convince Emma to go for a swim in the water, which turned into a long splashing war between them.

They stayed at the lake until an hour before sunset, when they decided that they best be getting back before dark. When they arrived at the cottage, Regina cooked the two fish that Henry caught so they could eat a late dinner together. After dinner, Emma was left with the task of putting Henry to bed as Regina went outside to work on the garden by herself. It wasn't until an hour after Henry was put in bed that Emma was laying in her room when she heard Regina's quiet footsteps coming up the staircase. Emma braced herself for the conversation that she knew was coming.

Regina entered the room, and after a moment of deliberation, carefully sat down on the bed opposite of where Emma was sitting.

"We need to talk."

**Author's Note**: Reviews make my heart swell, and my fingers type faster. So review, review, review! Sorry not all that much happened in this chapter, but I did want to get in the setting description and a little bit more history, I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time (Season 2 premiere's September 30th!).

Chapter 4:

"We have to talk."

Emma lay frozen on the bed, unsure of what to say or do. After a moment, she slowly moved into a seated position and faced Regina directly.

"Yeah, I guess we do," Emma said with a small sigh.

"We need to go into the Enchanted Forest," said Regina in an authoritative voice.

"I- What?" said Emma in surprise, "Are you crazy?"

"No. You need to see Doc, you need to be checked out," Regina expanded.

"Oh, so now you're concerned about my maternal health? I think I'll be fine Regina, woman have carried children for thousands of years and given birth without prenatal check-ups every week," Emma scoffed.

Regina had obviously lost her mind, Emma thought. This was the last thing she had expected to come out of Regina's mouth.

"Emma, I'm serious. You need to get to a doctor." Regina paused for a moment, "Think about it, if you... if you're telling the truth, if you haven't- then... you just... you need to see a doctor."

"Well, fine, if you insist, I'll find a doctor somewhere in the outer realms. But really Regina, does this matter RIGHT now? I'm sure the baby is healthy and fine."

"No, it has to be Doc, not just any doctor," Regina insisted.

"Regina, Doc works in the Palace, in the Capitol- there's no way I'm stepping foot in the Enchanted Forest, let alone the part of it with my parents and every other Royal. Besides, I wouldn't even know how to get there."

Emma held her ground.

"Well I obviously do, it may have been before your time, but there was a time when I lived in the Palace you know. And besides, you can't ride well enough to make it there on your own." Regina said in an exasperated tone.

"I can so! I've been doing fine lately," Emma interjected. "I make it to the market to get food every week."

"The market is a 30 minute ride away. We're talking about full day's voyage," Regina countered.

Emma had to admit that Regina was right on this point, so she resorted back to the fact that it was a stupid idea.

"You've lost your mind. You can't go to the capitol! It's a risk just for you to go to the lake, let alone enter the Enchanted Forest. They would catch you in an instant. They'd charge you with treason and hang out in the courtyard for all to see. If I have to go, I go alone."

"And what do you think they'd do to you for associating with a traitor and abandoning the realm, leaving them them with no heir? You breaking the curse doesn't mean much to them now. Which is why you need me with you. I can protect you, I know the Forest better than anyone."

"No, this is just- this is crazy Regina! We're not going into the Kingdom."

"Yes, we are, this isn't up for discussion."

"And what would you propose we do with Henry, huh? Leave an 11-year old boy home alone in the middle of no where? Ooh, or better yet, bring him on a dangerous mission that could get all three of us killed. Hmm, I can't quite figure out with is the better option, over the obvious stupidity of this!" Emma said, her voice escalating quickly. She stood up from the bed and started pacing the room.

"He can stay here. You'll send a raven to Pinocchio in the morning, he can watch Henry while we're gone."

"Don't you think that's asking a lot of him? He'd be putting his life in danger- protecting a wanted traitor."

"He already knows about us, he helped you once, I don't think helping again will make much of a difference. He hasn't given us up yet, I don't see why he would now. He still feels he owes you for abandoning you as a baby. And... he's our only option."

Emma contemplated for a moment. This truly was crazy. The chances of them being caught were incredibly high, and for what- a doctor's check up? Emma wasn't convinced at all. Regina could obviously see she hadn't convinced the younger woman in the slightest.

"Emma, please. Think about the situation- you're pregnant. This is the only thing I'm asking you for."

Regina made it seem like she was asking her to go on a walk in the park with her. But Emma knew this was not a little thing. This quite possibly might be the stupidest, most foolish, and dangerous thing she'd done in her life, so what she found herself saying next surprised her.

"Okay, we'll go," Emma relented.

Regina noticeably relaxed and let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

"Thank you."

"What should we tell Henry?"

"Nothing. Just that we need to leave for a few days, and that we'll be back soon."

"He's 11, not 5, he's a smart boy Regina, he's going to know something is up."

"We'll tell him eventually. There's no need to worry him now. Until we have some answers, there's no sense in confusing him."

Emma sat back down on the bed, exasperated. Regina had obviously accepted she'd won, and proceeded to the closet to get some nightwear. She returned a moment later in a white linen nightgown. Emma felt hurt, Regina never changed in the closet.

"Come on, up," Regina said to Emma, and motioned for her to get up so she could pull down the covers on their bed.

Emma turned off the oil lamp next next to the bed, and the room was submerged in darkness, with the exception of the slight glow of moonlight entering through the drapes. Emma crawled into bed, and pulled the sheets up as she shivered slightly.

Regina was laying with her back to Emma, unusually far to her side of the bed. Emma moved over, spooning Regina from behind, placing an arm around her waist, and pulling her closer. Regina made no motion to pull away, but no motion to acknowledge that Emma was even in the bed with her.

"Regina?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

Regina paused for a moment, which she hadn't done in months, before replying a quick "You too."

Emma let go of Regina and rolled over to her side of the bed. She didn't want her to be able to feel as her chest rose and fell with silent sobs, and her eyes flowed with tears.

* * *

The next morning when Emma awoke, Regina's side of the bed was empty as usual. She noticed however, that a piece of parchment and ink had been placed on the dresser. Emma quickly remembered their conversation from last night, and whom she was supposed to be writing. She began to scribble:

"_Pinocchio,_

_I'm sorry it's been so long since we've spoke, and under such unfavorable circumstances. I need you help. I can't tell you much, as I fear this will fall into the wrong hands. If you could spare a week, we'd be so grateful. Reply back with this raven as soon as you can. If you agree, I'll meet you at the south border at dusk, tomorrow night._

_I hope all is well._

_Love, E"_

She attached it to a raven soon after, partially hoping that the raven wouldn't find the once wooden boy- that the message would get lost in voyage.

Her hopes of this were soon dashed however, because it was only a few hours later when Emma heard a loud squawk coming from the kitchen.

The raven tapped forcefully and repeatedly on the window until Emma managed to open it. Tied to it's leg was a small piece of parchment. It only had three words on it.

"_I'll be there_."

**Author's Note**: Reviews make my heart swell, and my fingers type faster. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! I try to respond to any question, but remember, I can't answer if you're writing a review as a guest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 5:

"What do you mean I can't come?" whined Henry for what seemed to Emma like the thousandth time.

"You get to stay here and keep your mother company," said Emma with as much excitement as she could muster, hoping that by some miracle Henry would find staying at home with Regina as fun as going out with Emma into the forest.

"But I alllllways have to stay home. I never get to go anywhere!" complained Henry, his voice getting more desperate and whiny as time went on. "Can't you at least tell me where you're going?"

"Henry, look, you can't come, no amount of complaining is going to change that. Please, stay here with your mother, be a good boy," Emma pleaded. "I have to go do something important, but I'll only be gone for a few hours, I promise."

"Fine," sulked Henry, as he looked down at the floor and kicked a small rock in front of him.

"Thank you."

Henry turned back around and ran into the house without giving her a goodbye. Regina, who had been standing by the door of the house, walked the few steps down the pathway to where Emma was standing next to her horse.

"Don't worry, he'll be over it by the time you get back," Regina said, although she wasn't very reassuring.

"Somehow I doubt that," Emma chuckled.

Regina stood there awkwardly for a moment, before saying quietly, "Be safe, okay?"

"Yeah, I will," Emma replied.

Things had been awkward between them the last two days. Emma wasn't sure where they stood. Regina kept her distance and spent most of her time alone in the garden. Henry kept asking if they had a fight, but Regina was very bright and cheerful with him, insisting everything was perfectly fine, and he was simply imagining things.

"Well, I guess I should get going, don't want to keep him waiting," Emma said.

"Yeah, okay, sure," Regina replied.

Emma swung her leg up and mounted the white horse, which was already saddled and ready to go- a bag of food and water attached to the back.

"I'll see you in a few hours, okay?" Emma reassured her.

Regina nodded and gave her a small wave, before Emma started to make her way towards the main road.

She left a bit early, to take into account her mediocre riding skills. If it was Regina going, it would probably take her less than an hour, but Emma figured she probably needed double that. Originally Regina insisted that she go instead, stating that it would be irresponsible for Emma to go alone in her current state, and that her riding simply wasn't good enough. After a very heated debate, Emma came out victorious however, reminding Regina that Pinocchio wouldn't be very pleased to find the former Evil Queen there waiting for him. Not to mention the extreme risk it was for Regina to leave the safety of Sproutes. And after all, being pregnant didn't make Emma useless, she was more than capable of a short ride through the forest.

Emma was secretly glad to be away for a few hours too. As much as she loved her new family, things had been tense lately. She couldn't deny that being contained to the small cottage property the majority of her time had taken it's toll; Emma was used to roaming as free as she felt like, never staying anywhere for too long. She had to admit that she could have chosen a much easier path when she returned to the Enchanted Forest, it would have been all too easy. But she put up with it, the hiding and the secrecy, it was the price she paid for love she figured. She didn't want to think about what would happen if this baby ruined all of it- the happy family that she'd be searching for for so many years. She'd just found it, she wasn't ready to give it up, it was just barely starting.

Emma continued on her journey as the sun crept lower and lower in the sky. Finally, she made it to the border, which was marked by a simple stone bridge. A narrow river was all that separated the kingdoms. Emma didn't dare cross the bridge; the Enchanted Forest was not a wise place for her to be. So she dismounted her horse, and sat down next to a large tree, just far enough from the bridge so she could peak across, but anyone crossing would not notice her. She took some food from the bag she brought with her, and waited.

It was not long after, just as the sun had set and darkness enveloped the land, that Emma turned as she heard the trees rustle nearby. Fear swept through her momentarily, and she was thankful for the sword attached to her belt. It was just a few seconds later that a horse emerged from the trees on the other side of the bridge, with a tall, dark-haired, handsome man atop of it.

"August, you made it!" Emma said as she got to her feet and moved into plain view, extremely relieved.

"Emma, Emma, how many times have I told you to call me Pinocchio," he joked, as he rode across the short bridge and dismounted his horse to give Emma a friendly hug.

"Many, but I can't help it, it sounds too Fairy Tale-y," Emma replied, glad to be seeing her friend again after so long.

"Have you looked around yourself in the last year? Everything around you is 'Fairy Tale-y'," Pinocchio chuckled.

"I have so much so tell you, I-"

"Best not to say anything here," he cut her off. "You never know who or what has ears mixed in with the trees," warned Pinocchio, his face very quickly turning serious. "We should get going, the less we spend in these woods the better."

As much as Emma wanted to tell him everything right here and now, she knew he was right. They both mounted their horses again, and took off. Emma led the way, even though she was not nearly as quick. Unfortunately for her, Pinocchio had become accustom to riding far more quickly than she had.

Just over two hours later, Emma led him off the main road, up the narrow stone pathway, and into view of the small cottage. He followed her into the stable and tied his horse next to Emma's and Regina's.

"Thank god that's over, I'm exhausted," Emma yawned.

They walked the small distance from the stable, into the house. Regina was still awake of course, sitting at the kitchen table with a mug grasped tightly in her hands. She stood up the moment Emma opened the door, rushed over and embraced Emma tightly, visibly relieved.

"Thank god, I was starting to get worried," Regina said quickly, as she held Emma tightly. "What took you so long?" Regina asked in the voice she usually reserved for Henry when he'd done something wrong, like leave his shoes on the staircase or not wash his hands before dinner.

The awkward and distance Regina returned quickly as she let go of Emma.

"It was longer than I thought, and we couldn't go as quickly in the dark," Emma replied. "Henry tucked into bed okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Regina turned to the man standing just behind Emma, "Hello Pinocchio," she said tensely, nodding at him, in an effort to be kind.

"Hello again Regina, or should I say, Your Majesty."

"I haven't been Queen in a long time," Regina replied.

"Once a President, always Mr President. Once a Queen, always Your Majesty," he quickly countered, although the way he said it, Emma couldn't tell if it was meant as a compliment or an insult.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Emma jumped in, hoping to relieve the rising tension. "Coffee? Tea? Water?"

"Some tea would be great thanks."

Emma busied herself around the kitchen, lighting the stove, and getting two mugs of tea ready. She sat down once she'd finished, handing one of the mugs to Pinocchio. He and Regina followed suit and sat down across the table.

"So, what is it that's so important that I needed to come all this way?" Pinocchio inquired.

Emma and Regina exchanged glances before Emma began.

"Well, I'm pregnant."

Pinocchio paused for a moment and then looked at Regina with an expression of disappointment, but not surprise.

"So you _have_ been using magic again then."

Emma looked back and forth between the two people sitting opposite her. It took her a moment before she realised what Pinocchio was insinuating.

"Wait- What- YOU did this? You've been blaming me for the last week, and this was actually your doing?" Emma's voice raised quickly, her face reddening.

"I haven't done anything, calm down." Regina interjected. "Babies can't be just be pulled out of thin air. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't, I assure you."

Pinocchio didn't look convinced. Emma didn't know what to believe.

"Then how exactly do you explain this pregnancy? I'm assuming Emma hasn't wandered off and had sex with a man anytime recently, otherwise there would be no need to rush me here just to inform me of the impending bundle of joy," Pinocchio pressed on.

"I don't know what the truth is. I don't know how this baby has happened. Which is why we need your help. Emma and I need to go to the capitol to see Doc, we need you to stay with Henry for a few days," Regina said. Emma could tell it took a lot for Regina to admit that she needed help from the man.

"That's impossible, there's no way you get in and out of the capitol without being caught."

"I know the capitol, better than almost anyone, I can do it. We don't have any other choic-"

"PINOCCHIO! You're here!" Henry came rushing down the stairs at full speed.

"I thought you said you put him in bed?" Emma turned to Regina and said under her breath

"I did," muttered Regina.

"Hey there Henry," Pinocchio got up from his chair and gave Henry a big hug, swinging him around in the air.

"Henry, you're supposed to be in bed," said Regina sternly.

Henry ignored her, far too thrilled to have a visitor to care about being scolded.

"What're you doing here? How long are you staying?" Henry said excitedly.

"I'm just paying a visit for a week or so kiddo," Pinocchio replied. "Hey Henry, come here and sit down, I've got something for you."

"A present?" said Henry curiously, racing to sit down.

"You bet, all the way from the Enchanted Forest."

"What is it?" Henry replied, practically shaking in excitement.

August reached into the bag he brought with him, took out a small box wrapped in brown paper, and handed it to Henry.

Henry quickly unwrapped the paper and opened the box. Inside was a small wooden compass with no letterings on it. The needle was spinning around erratically in a circle.

"It's a compass I made myself," Pinocchio stepped in, "but it's not just any compass, it's made from the last remaining piece of wood from the tree I was built from."

"So it's magic?" Henry replied in excitement.

Emma could see Regina purse her lips in disapproval, but she kept quiet.

"Yes, it is Henry," he replied, nodding his head. "It won't be very good if you need to find North, but it will help you get where you need to go. It will always point to the people you love most, to those you call family, where ever the place you call home is. That way, you'll never be lost."

"Why is it spinning around in a circle," Henry said, confused.

"Because you're exactly where you're supposed to be right now, with your family."

"I- Thank you," Henry said in amazement, clearly speechless, a huge grin on his face as he looked down at the compass.

"Now, it's time for you to go back to bed, it's far past your bed time," Regina chimed in.

"I think it's time for all of us to get some sleep actually," Emma added. "It's been a long day, we could all use some shut eye."

"I second that," Pinocchio said as he stood up from the table.

Regina escorted Henry back upstairs and into his room, where she tucked him in for the second time tonight. Emma showed Pinocchio into the spare room down the hall.

"We'll talk more about everything tomorrow, okay?" he said to her as he gave her a quick hug goodnight.

"Yeah, okay," Emma said as she made her way out of the room.

"And Emma?"

"Yeah?" Emma said as she stopped in the doorway.

"Congratulations."

**Author's Note**: Reviews make my heart swell, and my fingers type faster. So review, review, review! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 6:

The next day was hectic at best. Unsurprisingly, Emma had awoken to find everyone else in the house already awake. She rose and dressed sleepily, wondering how long everyone had been awake for. Pinocchio and Regina had their heads close together, huddled over dozens of pieces of parchment on the kitchen table when she made it downstairs.

"Good, you're finally awake," said Regina.

"I need extra sleep, I'm sleeping for two," grumbled Emma, still not completely awake as she made her way to the counter to get breakfast.

"We were just going over the plans for our trip, and all the changes to the capitol in the last year."

Regina went into a long spiel about the entrances, security procedures, and royal armies of the Enchanted Forest, but most of it was completely lost on Emma.

"...I've taken Bailey out of the stable and gotten her ready for the journey, we're leaving tonight after dinner and we'll-" Regina finished.

"Did you take Skeena out too?" Emma interrupted.

"We're not taking your horse. You're riding with me."

"What? Why?"

"One horse with both of us on it will still be faster than you on your own horse," Regina stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You underestimate me. I'm getting better!" pouted Emma.

Regina gave her an unbelieving look, and continued on with her plans.

It started to dawn on Emma that this was really going to happen. She felt her stomach curl at the thought of being in the capitol again. She had only been there twice in her life- the day she was born, and the day she returned to her home land. She didn't know all that much about it, other than it was where all the Royals lived, where her parents lived, where she was supposed to be living.

She listened only half-heartedly to the rest of Regina's speech, before excusing herself from the kitchen. She wandered out into the garden, and leaned against one of the nearby trees before letting the contents of her stomach come back up. She couldn't tell if it was because of the morning sickness, or the sudden anxiety she had about her impending journey.

"Emma? Are you okay?"

Emma looked up as she heard the small unsure voice. Henry was standing a few feet away, looking at her with worried eyes.

"Yeah kiddo, don't worry, must have just eaten something that didn't agree with me," Emma tried to smile, but was interrupted by her stomach heaving again.

She felt Henry's small hand on her back.

"Is it because you're scared? Because you don't have to go, you can stay here," Henry said quietly.

Emma wiped her mouth and looked up at him.

"Hey, who told you anything about me going somewhere?" Emma replied.

"I heard Mom and Pinocchio talking about it this morning. You're planning on going to the Palace. You're going to leave me here."

Emma saw it flash in his eyes. He was scared. He was scared that Emma and Regina wouldn't come back.

Emma didn't hesitate for a second. She brought her son close to her and embraced him as tightly as she could.

"Henry, I promise you, it will only be for a few days. There's something very important Mom and I need to do in the capitol. But this is the only time we're going to go, and then we'll be back, and everything will be back to normal," Emma willed herself to believe that what she was telling Henry was true. She willed herself to believe that everything would turn out okay.

"Take this with you," Henry reached and placed an object in Emma's hand, "then no matter what, you'll find your way back to me."

Emma looked down and saw it was the small wooden compass.

* * *

Dinner was not a pleasant affair. Henry spent most of it pushing his food around on his plate and sulking. Pinocchio tried relentlessly to start up conversation with him, to no avail. Regina fussed a little too much over everything, clearly getting anxious. And Emma, she felt like she was going to be sick again.

When it finally came time for them to leave, everyone seemed to be at a loss for words. Emma stood awkwardly as Regina finished getting everything ready, and then came to stand beside the three of them. It was Regina that broke the silence.

She got down on her knees and gave Henry a long hug, "You be good for Pinocchio okay? When we get back I except to hear all about how well behaved of a young man you've been." She smiled up at him, trying to reassure him as much as possible.

It was Emma's turn to give Henry her goodbye. She put her hand into her pocket, and took out the wooden compass he had given her earlier that morning.

"Hey kiddo, I'm putting this right here in this pocket, on the inside of my jacket. That way it'll be close to me all the time," Emma gave him a small smile.

Henry didn't reply, he just wrapped his arms around Emma's waist and held tightly. Emma wanted the hug to last forever, but just a few seconds later, it was over.

They finished saying their goodbyes to Henry, before Emma gave Pinocchio a quick hug and whispered, "No matter what, you make sure he stays safe."

Pinocchio nodded as they broke apart from their embrace.

Regina got onto the horse first, and Emma lifted herself up just a few seconds later. Emma wrapped her arms tightly around Regina's waist, and a moment later, Henry and Pinocchio were out of sight.

**Author's Note**: Sorry for the short delay in this chapter (and for the shortness). I spent the last 3 days reading Fragments and I Never Told You, and crying into my pillow (okay, maybe not that extreme, but you all know what I mean). Enjoy this chapter! PS- I'm in search of a beta right now, let me know if you're interested.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, all the characters, and all Once Upon a Time trademarks, belong to ABC, and not me. You can watch Once Upon a Time on ABC, Sunday nights, at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Chapter 7:

The first hour went by too quickly for Emma's liking. She liked the safety that the outer realms offered, and she was hesitant to leave. They rode quickly, even for Regina's standards. As terrified as she was, Emma couldn't help but revel in the moment, pressed against Regina's back, enjoying the fast pace of the horse and the rolling hills that passed them by. She couldn't see Regina's face from behind her hood, but she could see a few escaped strands of hair blowing in the wind. She brought her arms tighter around Regina, and rested her chin on her shoulder, allowing herself to press a small kiss against the older woman's shoulder. She wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but she could have sworn she felt Regina arch her back into her just a tiny bit.

It was only an hour later when they reached the dreaded bridge that signified the beginning of the Enchanted Forest. Regina didn't slow down or hesitate before crossing. On the contrary, they sped up, not wanting to hang around the bridge for longer than needed.

As soon as they stepped foot into their homeland, Emma could feel her stomach doing backflips. She could remember the last time she'd crossed this bridge like it had happened yesterday. She had been terrified that day too, much more terrified than she was now. She had held Henry's hand so tightly that she was worried about his fingers breaking, but he had clung to her just as strongly. She could remember being so unsure if she was doing the right thing, but she knew now that it had been. She couldn't imagine her life any other way.

Regina quickly veered off of the main road and into the dense forest. This marked the end of their fast pace, it would be slow going from here on in. They stayed far enough from the road that they wouldn't be seen, but close enough to hear anyone approaching. The sun was quickly falling below the horizon, leaving them with just the dim glow of sunset. Soon the darkness would engulf them. Regina insisted that darkness provided them their best security, but Emma felt vulnerable with the darkness pressing against her. She didn't possess the comfort of familiarity in these woods like Regina did. Regina seemed to know exactly each hill, each path, each tree- there was no uncertainty in her movements.

Things were remarkably quiet for their first several hours in the Enchanted Forest. They moved at a steady pace through the forest, in complete silence. Only twice did they see anyone on the road. Both time's Emma felt like they would surely be given away by the loud thumping in her chest, but both times the woman were passed by without notice.

When Emma could start to see the tiny slivers of light that announced morning, they stopped to eat and rest. The silence between them was maddening. Emma wanted to reach over and shake her into her senses, make her see that this trip was too dangerous, that she could just choose to believe Emma was telling her the truth, and they could return home and be a family. But her own tongue felt like lead inside her mouth, too heavy to form words of any meaning. So they sat in silence as they refilled their growling stomachs, and rested their aching backs. Emma ate too quickly though, and just a few minutes after finishing, the entire contents came back up again.

She felt a soft hand rub her back as she leaned over. It didn't last long however, as soon as Emma had rinsed her mouth, Regina insisted they continue moving. The sun rising in the East meant they only had a few more hours to travel, and they had to be at the Capitol by then.

With every step they took after that point, Emma felt more and more worried. Villagers, soldiers, and all sorts of men were on the roads now. All it would take was for one of them to venture off and into the woods, and they would be caught. Regina started to lead them further and further from the main road. The woods were thick and coarse, and they were forced to disembark Regina's horse and take to foot.

It was just past 8am when Emma realised without a doubt that they were there. A large stone wall surrounded the perimeter of the Capitol, an attempt to stop unwanted visitors such as themselves from getting in. This was where they had to leave their horse, so Regina tied her to a tree out of sight.

"So, Regina, how exactly are we getting over that wall," Emma said as she looked up at it. She was strong and good at climbing, but the wall was incredibly high, with no footholds.

"We're not, we're going under it," Regina replied.

Regina walked in front, and they continued travelling on foot, parallel to the wall, for close to an hour. When Regina stopped, Emma couldn't see anything around that was remotely different from the miles of stone wall they had just passed.

"So what's the plan now exactly, should I be getting down on my knees and digging with my hands?" Emma said sarcastically.

Regina ignored the comment, leaned down, and started moving the dirt around with her hands. For a second Emma thought she was going crazy, and that she was excepted to dig a tunnel with her bare hands, but she soon realised that this wasn't at all what Regina was doing. Emma got down on her knees and started to help. After a few minutes, a large trapdoor leading into the ground had been unearthed.

"What is this?" Emma asked.

"The dwarfs used to use these tunnels for transportation to and from the mines, along with other miscellaneous uses. They haven't been used for many years, but when I was Queen they would occasionally be used for Royal Messengers, when the King didn't want others knowing of certain correspondences," Regina replied with a small smile, proud that she was able to find the hidden entrance after all these years.

"Come on, help me open it up."

Both women pulled with all of their might. The door was surprisingly strong, and seemed to have sealed shut from not being opened all these years. But thankfully, after a few minutes of effort, and a bit of pounding with rocks, the door gave way.

Below the door was a set up steep stairs that descended and plunged into darkness.

"Well, better get this over and done with," Regina said, taking the first step into the tunnels.

Emma followed close behind, and pulled the trap door shut behind her. It was incredibly dark, she could hardly see a foot in front of her. She kept a strong hold on Regina's arm, not wanting to be accidentally separated. Regina was feeling along the walls the entire way- obviously trying to find their path by memory, and not sight.

There were many twists and turns in the tunnels, many forks in the road. Emma felt like she was in a never ending maze. Just as she was starting to think they were doomed and lost, she saw a sliver of light up ahead. The closer she got, the louder it got too. She could hear people walking around, and the everyday buzz of people chatting. She held onto Regina a little bit tighter.

When they got to the source of the light, Emma realised that it was a door. Regina turned to look at her.

"Now, you must keep your hood up at all times. Don't look at anyone directly, just try to blend in with the crowd," Regina said.

"We're going out there? In the middle of the _crowd_?" Emma said, trying to hide the unease from her voice.

"It's the only way to get to Doc's," Regina replied.

She took a deep breath, _here goes nothing_, she thought.

When Regina opened the door, Emma could see that it led into a small alleyway just off of the market square. The light burned her eyes temporarily, and she blinked profusely to adjust to the light. Regina was already moving, and Emma followed quickly behind. She tried to keep her eyes down, but so many things were grabbing her attention.

This was the place she was born. The tall castle loomed over the rest of the city, with it's magnificent spiral towers. Emma had a hard time from just standing there in amazement and taking everything in, but the fear in the pit of her stomach kept her moving.

When they reached the end of the narrow alleyway, Emma got her first glimpse of the market. It looked exactly like something she would have seen in a story book as a child. Everything was made of old stone and handcrafted wood. All sorts of interesting things were for sale: jewels, wooden dolls for children, herbs and teas, and things Emma had never seen before, like eye of newt, bezoars, and magic carpets. The inhabitants were a mixture of men, hobbits, fairies, dwarfs, and some creatures Emma couldn't identify. It struck Emma then that she knew quite little about the land she belonged to.

A loud voice disturbed Emma from her thoughts.

"Attention all!" came the booming voice. "All hail the Queen!"

Emma's head turned automatically towards the voice. On the other side of the market, a white horse drawn carriage emerged. A royal guard opened the door as the carriage slowed to a stop, and a woman with skin of snow and lips of ruby emerged; a woman known to be the fairest in all of the lands. Emma stared at her mother. She knew she should look away, but she couldn't break her gaze. She hadn't seen her mother in a year. She had never even met her officially as her mother, all of Emma's memories of her were as Mary Margaret. Emma felt a tug on her arm, pulling her back into the alley.

It was too late though, because just as Regina was pulling on Emma's arm, Snow White had turned to face the crowd, and their eyes met.


End file.
